Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 6.25 x 52 Toro
Strength: Medium
Price: $29.99
Released: April 2025
Quantity Released: 1,000 boxes of 10

My cigars received 2 months of naked humidor time.

BACKGROUND:
Aganorsa Leaf owner Eduardo Fernández had this to say:
“My vision was to bring the essence of traditional Cuban tobacco to Nicaragua by employing Cuban agricultural and fermentation methods, ultimately creating Aganorsa’s signature flavor profile,” said Fernández in a press release when the cigar was announced late last year. “You have to control your destiny, and the tobacco must be managed from seed to ash to ensure consistency and quality. This cigar celebrating our 25-year journey underscores a commitment to tradition and craftsmanship, showcasing Aganorsa’s dedication to authenticity in the tobacco industry.”

THE WHOLE MEGILLAH:
I was gifted one cigar in early May. I subsequently bought a trio for $90 minus the katman promo code. I smoked one stick from my late May purchase, but my review stick is the 2-month-old cigar. Here goes nuttin’ honey…

I saw that HW reviewed the cigar two days ago. I may be in sync…imagine their horror. A beautiful review and I couldn’t have said it better…so I will forge ahead anyway.

I rarely comment about presentation because cigar smokers have seen it all. The gold filigree double bands and the sleeve are a class act. Once the tobacco condom is removed, the wrapper is a street filled road map. I sniff and receive luscious notes of floral, cooking cranberries, freshly brewed coffee, a slice of malt, candied lemons, maple syrup, mild chocolate, rich earthiness, roasted nuts, and grape jelly. This is going to be a hard act to follow.

I interrupt my PerfecPunch from its morning chores. It wipes the sweat from its tiny brow. I point at the cigar. It goes to work.

Resistance is king. My PerfecDraw is allowed to sleep in.

The cold draw is made up of the usual suspects: Chocolate, espresso, red pepper, black pepper, malt, wintergreen, and creamy caramel.

Time to light up this $30 cigar. Damn fine start to this Shakespearean comedy. Rich earthiness which is so difficult to define. We feel it, we taste it, we earn it. Tommy can you hear me?

I had burn issues with my first stick. I gave it a 50/50 chance of rinse and repeat. I’m not a rich man and spending nearly $100 for three cigars causes a silent guffaw and a hearty hi ho silver. If you notice, and I’m sure you have…that high grade expensive cigars sell out almost immediately. But then the same applies to high grade inexpensive cigars. Go figure.

I’m only half an inch in and I shall expound: the rich refining characters are outstanding. Complexity is detailed and exploratory. This blend is going to age beautifully. At only two months in, I’m merely tasting the blender’s intent…and I approve wholeheartedly. The reason for jumping the shark is only 10,000 cigars went to market. Some stores are sold out. I want to give you the opportunity to snag some before they disappear into that good night. I’ve just jinxed myself.

1965. I took a big bite out of my dog and the spicy mustard squirted into my mouth. I never had French mustard at this point in my life…and without thinking, I threw the whole thing over the Eiffel Tower’s railing; and then in horror, watched as it gently wafted to the ground from 1000 feet above the streets of Paris. My friends screamed. I just let loose a wiener missile that would embed itself in some poor tourist’s head. I could see the newspaper the next day. “Filthy American kills Child with Filthy Wiener in a Roll.” It seemed to take forever as the hot dog hurtled towards ground zero. None of us could breathe. There were hundreds of people down there milling about and the roll missed all of them. I fell to the floor with my back against the rail and took a deep breath. Not a murderer today.

Smooth and elegant like a Fleet Enema applied with anesthetic. Jesus Alou and Manny Mota. Fine cigar. Funny thing is when we read Aganorsa, we think of power laden blends. This anniversary cigar is an easy going medium. A perfect accompaniment for my morning coffee.

I am lulled into submission. I don’t want to write about this cigar; I want to enjoy it in my cave of solitude. I have a couple more sticks and I plan on saving them. Special doesn’t come around that often.

Often creaminess is expected. The Aniversario 25 Edición Limitada is cramming it home. The mouth feel is lush. I read something from HW describing the flavor as banana bread. Nails it. A perfect simile. Cinnamon, nutmeg, black walnuts, vanilla, bananas, malt, brown sugar, and dark honey. Thanks to that review, the first third of this cigar is stamped classic.

“You’re remembered for the rules you break.”…Douglas MacArthur.

I am happily surprised that the first third made its journey without a single burn issue like my previous stick. Clearly, the extra humidor time made the difference. Very relieved because, like you, I hate throwing money away…which is what your wife thinks. If the blend can morph, grow, transition, and shape shift, this might be a perfect cigar. It will make my top 25 list for 2025.

I’m starting to see data on the cigar industry’s sales for last year and this year. The manufacturers pumping out expensive cigars have taken a hit. Not the direction they were hoping for. Will they read it as cigar smokers becoming fed up? I hope so.

I went to my first Long Beach Grand Prix in the late 70’s. I failed to bring ear plugs and the ringing is still in my ears. We stood behind simple sawhorses on the racetrack. A driver thought he was to make a right turn instead of going straight. We were the bull’s eye in that mis-turn. The car went from Mach 3 to standing still in less than a second. Of course, that kinetic energy was transferred to us as we flew back at Mach 3.01.

I am going to kick back in my office chair and enjoy. I shall return.

It takes an hour to end the first half. Strength has been a constant medium without sudden surges. It feels practical and engrossing. I’m stunned into submission. Tased and sublimated. Torqued into surrender. Submarined into capitulation.

In the 80’s, I wrote for a couple local rags. I scored a press pass for the Gran Prix. The problem was it wasn’t a plus one situation. So it was mostly a badge of honor as I perused the pretty women.

The second half explodes. This blend is so smooth that I find myself depressed. Why must I spend three sawbucks for a cigar that reaches the pinnacle of blending. But this is anything but a flavor bomb. Instead, the blend is ultra complex. I consider myself an average purveyor of words. It’s moments like this I wish I was a better writer. And one that writes his reviews days before so I can tweak and edit…instead of writing on the fly in a contemporaneous fashion. Like the sage Popeye once said, ‘I yam what I yam.”

Halfwheel wrote the definitive review of this cigar. Minato creates a better portrait, and you should read it before you decide on a purchase. I didn’t have the burn issues that he did. Without them, I believe it would have upped his final rating. Click here.

You can purchase AGANORSA Leaf Aniversario 25 Edición Limitada from sponsor Small Batch Cigar. Take 10% off with promo code KATMAN.

RATING: 98

And now for something completely different:

I saw yesterday that bassist Carol Kaye has declined the offer to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Carol is 90 years young. It is sad that a player of her magnitude wasn’t inducted decades ago. Others in The Wrecking Crew received their due long ago. It was the honor of my life to have been a one-on-one student with Carol. I have vivid memories of my time with Ms. Kaye. All pleasant but also frightening as I had memorized every note the woman played on thousands of studio recordings. I’ve been a follower on her website for years. Her website is full of teaching material that every bassist should read. Sadder is that the site has only 3500 followers. My old friend, drummer Hal Blaine was inducted in 2007. The HoF shows its ignorance by not inducting the entire Crew at one time. Carol and I had a pen pal thing for some time. She was always thoughtful and caring. And interested in what my life was about. She is the coolest woman I’ve ever known. I can’t say if age has a definitive part in her choosing not to be honored. She posted this on her Instagram account on Tuesday:

Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS

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